Timely access to diagnostic imaging services is a major issue both nationally and provincially. Despite significant increases in the number of diagnostic imaging exams provided in Saskatchewan, demand continues to rise, resulting in longer waits for service.

The province is working with health regions to improve diagnostic imaging services and shorten wait times by targeting funding to increase the amount of services provided and improve patients' access to services.

Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health is in the process of changing its method of reporting wait times for diagnostic imaging services, to make data more meaningful for patients, more accurate, and more comparable to national wait time data. This website will transition from reporting estimated maximum wait times to reporting "50th percentile" (median) and "90th percentile" (90% completed within) data. See How Wait Times Are Calculated below for more detailed information. 

Currently, wait time information is provided for computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bone mineral densitometry (BMD).

Real progress has been made reducing the wait list for CT scans in both Regina and Saskatoon. From July 2010 to July 2011, the number of patients waiting (not including follow-up scans) dropped from over 1,700 to under 1,000.

Median wait times have dropped for all urgency levels in Saskatoon and Regina:

These wait list reductions are most evident for Level 4 (elective - 90-day target) patients.  The number of Level 4 patients waiting for a CT scan in Saskatchewan has dropped from 324 in July 2010 to less than 150 in July 2011.